New(to me) 1959 Bellboy

Hello all!
I posted this on another site and was directed here...

Sounds like you guys(and gals) up there in Washington are the experts on these bellboy boats so I am reposting it here...


I am the new owner of a $100 boat I found on craigslist near san francisco...

I have wanted a boat for a while and have spent many summers on various lakes wakeboarding/houseboating and would like to get a taste of some saltwater for a change. The boat is (I believe) a 19' 1959 BellBoy (Express Cruiser?) with a 105hp Chrysler engine. I will be going through everything from painting the exterior and redoing the interior wood to refurbishing the outboard. Hopefully I'll even be able to make some improvements along the way...

I just figured I would introduce myself as I will probably be asking plenty of questions and looking for advice from some people who have been through this before.

Also, as an aside, I would eventually like to have a boat capable of cruising up and down the coast (channel islands, santa catalina, etc) and would like some advice as to whether or not this boat would be capable of such excursions or if I will be needing a larger/different type of boat when that time comes.

Thanks in advance and here are some "before" pics...


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy001.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy002.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy003.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy004.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy005.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy006.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy007.jpg

[timw]

Nice score ..I have a 60..404 express...havent touched yet...but they sure look nice once gone thru....look at BellBoy bobs, on this boat site,....

[Steve_Kiesel]

Welcome to the group Olivier. Good looking Bell Boy, for a $100 you can't go wrong. Here is a link to another Classic Boats website. They have a brochures section that should be of interest too you. http://www.fiberglassics.com/ It's down now, but should be back online in a few days.

Look forward to seeing your progress.

[Lootas1]

Welcome. My experience with old boats is look for any rot in the transom. You don't want the motor to take the transom out and drop to the bottom meanwhile filling your boat with water. Transom replacement can be costly if you aren't skilled at wood working and fiberglass working. Maybe they just rot away up here in the Northwest where it rains all the time and most people leave their boats out year around.
I'm not that familiar with Bellboy or the Channel Island or Santa Catalina but here's my thoughts anyway. I have an 18 foot cabin boat that appears much like your boat. I put a nice running 1965 four cylinder Mercury motor on it and then had to have that motor overhauled the next year to the tune of about $3,000. You are going to want to be sure of your motor and have a kicker of no less than 10 horse to get you back if something goes wrong with the big motor.
I live in the San Juan Island of Washington and have explored the region for many years in boats from 14-24 feet. In the ocean, bigger is better. I'd take my 18 footer anywhere around here but would be keeping track of the weather the whole time.
Finally, I'd suggest if you are new to boating, to take a Power Squadron training course and really get to know what you can learn from the experts before venturing out on the ocean. And, go with a friend with a boat in case one gets in trouble on the water. Did I mention that a VHF radio is better than a cell phone on the water and a GPS is nice to be able to tell the Coast Guard or Vessel Assist where you are if you need help.
Don't mean to scare you. Boating is lots of fun and I've been at it for most of my 75 years. I made most of the mistakes from falling overboard when I was out alone and the boat was going full throttle to nearly swamping a 32 foot boat when I had no business trying to cross in a storm.
Happy boating!

59 Bell Boy

Hello all!
I posted this on another site and was directed here...

Sounds like you guys(and gals) up there in Washington are the experts on these bellboy boats so I am reposting it here...


I am the new owner of a $100 boat I found on craigslist near san francisco...

I have wanted a boat for a while and have spent many summers on various lakes wakeboarding/houseboating and would like to get a taste of some saltwater for a change. The boat is (I believe) a 19' 1959 BellBoy (Express Cruiser?) with a 105hp Chrysler engine. I will be going through everything from painting the exterior and redoing the interior wood to refurbishing the outboard. Hopefully I'll even be able to make some improvements along the way...

I just figured I would introduce myself as I will probably be asking plenty of questions and looking for advice from some people who have been through this before.

Also, as an aside, I would eventually like to have a boat capable of cruising up and down the coast (channel islands, santa catalina, etc) and would like some advice as to whether or not this boat would be capable of such excursions or if I will be needing a larger/different type of boat when that time comes.

Thanks in advance and here are some "before" pics...


http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy001.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy002.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy003.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy004.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy005.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy006.jpg

http://i698.photobucket.com/albums/v...bellboy007.jpg

Like you I'm new to this but I love these 404 model Bell Boys. Mine is the Sedan model on the same hull as yours. I was lucky to get one with a good transom so right now I'm replacing the floor. It's the 62 on this forum. As Tim said, BellBoyBob has some awesome pictures of his restoration work here. The only suggestion I will make at this point is give some thought to whether or not you really want to restore the motor you have. You might want to look into the Homelite/Bearcat motors myself and many others are switching to. Four strokes from the 60's. No oil mess, quiet and incredible fuel economy. I look forward to seeing your restoration as it progresses and hopefully one day on the water. Barry

[BellBoyBob]

Hi there! BellBoy Bob here You have found the best forum website for help getting your BellBoy back to mint condition. My experience is that the people contributing to this site are very knowlegable in classic glass restoration and, even more important, they are very helpful and generous with other enthusiasts asking questions about their boats. So, feel very free to do that!

Your BellBoy is the 1959 404 Express 19' cruiser. The 404 stands for the hull displacement in cubic feet. It is sitting on, I believe, a Holsclaw tandem trailer that was originally blue with tan fenders and winch tower. One of the posters said it right: the transom must be examined and/or replaced if it was exposed to the elements and rot has set in. You must have solid wood wrapped in fiberglass to sustain the loads of a 300 lbs engine. In my experience, the gelcoat on these boats is very durable and can be wet sanded (800 - 1000 grit), then buffed with a high speed buffer and aggressive rubbing compound to bring an amazing return to the original luster of a new boat. If the gelcoat has worn away in places and the maple syrup look of the undercoats of resin are exposed, then it will need to be painted. There are many top side paints that will really turn out well with proper hull preparation (sanding, filling and priming) These paints can be brushed on. The hardest wood work replacement issues center on the 1/2" cabin bulkhead and the cockpit floor. Many of us on this site have gone through this experience and will be more than willing to help you along should you need to replace those things. My restoration was really challenging at times but the rewards are priceless. The 404 is a wonderful family boat (they were designed for safe family boating!) and, once restored will bring you years and years of pleasure. They do not make them now like they used to! Here is a youtube link to a brief showing of my 1960 Bellboy 404 Express. From the rubrail down,our boats are identical. They re-did the top deck design for 1960

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZQnwgpqC0g&NR=1

Best,

Bob

Cool.

Thanks for all the responses, advice, and encouragement!

I've posted this on a couple of other forums and have received plenty of good ideas. Someone at fiberglassics actually steered me toward this site.

To answer a few of the questions...

My current plan (I reserve the right to change this plan at anytime) includes rebuilding the engine I have. It seems complete and according to the previous owner it only has a scored cylinder. I have built numerous engines (all 4 strokes) so I kind of know what I'm doing and figure this would be the cheapest way to get it on the water. This is assuming the rest of the motor checks out...

The next step would be to get a 10-15 hp motor as backup and eventually upgrade to a newer 90-100hp motor as my budget allows.

My budget is about $2K, not including purchase/DMV/etc.

My main concern is the interior wood including the floor which is completely gone and the stringers which seem solid at first glance but which may need to be redone. I will definitely take a closer look at the transom next time I'm out there. The cabin bulkhead is definitely toast also. Looks like I'm going to learn some woodworking...

From what I read I can make the exterior look pretty good with some quality paint and some time. I will try your (BellBoy Bob) method on a section of the hull before repainting and see how it looks.

As far as radios and electronics, what kind of gear do you guys and/or gals recommend. In addition to lighting, I assume I'll need a radio and possibly a hand held GPS.

Any suggestions/additions?

Also, once I get this boat up and running, I plan on cruising around on the bay to work the kinks out and take some classes before heading too far out to sea

BellBoy Bob, that is a great looking boat you have there. Gives me something to shoot for... Do you know the sizes of the two fuel tanks built into the hull on these boats? I was thinking of adding some extra fuel capacity under the floor between the stringers. Is this a good idea, or any other alternatives?

Thanks again!

[BellBoyBob]

Ok, if you are going to replace the bulkhead, try to get it out as intact as possible. It will be easier to use the pieces that fit up against the sides of the hull as a template for the new plywood. I would go with 3/4" marine plywood for painting or 3/4" plywood with Okume, Sapele or Mahagony veneers if you are going to varnish right over the wood. I would look carefully at the pictures of Chuck Carrey's Dorsett Farallon that Marty Loken at Island Boat Shop (WA) restored. It is just fabulous and has a generous amount of wood work. The stringers, if you suspect rot, should be pulled out but saved and used for templates if possible.

Watch my video: http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=fZQnwgpqC0g&NR=1

I think I show that my electronics are the Garmin 540s which is a combo GPS and sonar depth (fish) finder. The radio is the Standard Horizon GX 3000s DSC radio. The GPS was cir $500 but the radio is only cir $165. This is a very very important and necessary investment if you are going to do any off shore boating in So. Cal. The two units are linkable so that if you make a distress call, the coast guard will be able to see your exact position on their GPS system and find you immediately. There are many other gps and radios out there so I am sure the others will offer their preferences to you on this site.
The BellBob 404 does have a high freeboard (48") which protects well from rogue waves. But size is size. This is a small craft and when there are small craft warnings (constantly updated on the weather channels of your marine radio) you must go to safe harbor right away. The BellBoy 404 could make the 26 mile trip between Long Beach Harbor and the Catalina Islands. I have talked to people who have crossed Lake Ontario in boats smaller than mine. Preparation and JUDGMENT with regard to weather is key!

I would find a kicker (spare, "get home") motor at 10hp forthe BellBoy 404. My old Merc 110 (9.8 hp) pushes my boat at 5 mph. Look on Ebay or Craigslist.

The original port and starboard tanks are 20 gallons each. That will give you over 100 miles of cruising with a 100 hp 2 cycle engine. For a 4 cycle, you will get much better than that. The tanks are made of galvanized steel but because they are 50 years old, you must assume that there is rust and other debris in them. The inside of the tanks are compartmentalized so it is difficult to get all of the debris out. I solved this in my BB by rinsing the tanks several times with water, tipping them over and letting them drain thoroughly until nothing more comes out of them in terms of debris. Then I put a fuel-water separator filter in the fuel line AFTER the "T" where the fuel lines come together. This insures that the fuel that gets into the carb is clean fuel. I installed shut-off valves in the left and right fuel lines BEFORE the "T" mainly because the tanks will not draw evenly. However, you can control that by shifting the draw from the left to the right tank by means of the shut-off valves.

OK, that's all for now. I will be happy to help out in any way I can. My private E-mail is swensen10or@aol.com

Bob

[BellBoyBob]

Ok, if you are going to replace the bulkhead, try to get it out as intact as possible. It will be easier to use the pieces that fit up against the sides of the hull as a template for the new plywood. I would go with 3/4" marine plywood for painting or 3/4" plywood with Okume, Sapele or Mahagony veneers if you are going to varnish right over the wood. I would look carefully at the pictures of Chuck Carrey's Dorsett Farallon that Marty Loken at Island Boat Shop (WA) restored. It is just fabulous and has a generous amount of wood work. The stringers, if you suspect rot, should be pulled out but saved and used for templates if possible.

Watch my video: http://www.youtube.comwatch?v=fZQnwgpqC0g&NR=1

I think I show that my electronics are the Garmin 540s which is a combo GPS and sonar depth (fish) finder. The radio is the Standard Horizon GX 3000s DSC radio. The GPS was cir $500 but the radio is only cir $165. This is a very very important and necessary investment if you are going to do any off shore boating in So. Cal. The two units are linkable so that if you make a distress call, the coast guard will be able to see your exact position on their GPS system and find you immediately. There are many other gps and radios out there so I am sure the others will offer their preferences to you on this site.
The BellBob 404 does have a high freeboard (48") which protects well from rogue waves. But size is size. This is a small craft and when there are small craft warnings (constantly updated on the weather channels of your marine radio) you must go to safe harbor right away. The BellBoy 404 could make the 26 mile trip between Long Beach Harbor and the Catalina Islands. I have talked to people who have crossed Lake Ontario (where I cruise off-shore) in boats smaller than mine. Preparation and JUDGMENT with regard to weather is key!

I would find a kicker (spare, "get home") motor at 10hp forthe BellBoy 404. My old Merc 110 (9.8 hp) pushes my boat at 5 mph. Look on Ebay or Craigslist.

The original port and starboard tanks are 20 gallons each. That will give you over 100 miles of cruising with a 100 hp 2 cycle engine. For a 4 cycle, you will get much better than that. The tanks are made of galvanized steel but because they are 50 years old, you must assume that there is rust and other debris in them. The inside of the tanks are compartmentalized so it is difficult to get all of the debris out. I solved this in my BB by rinsing the tanks several times with water, tipping them over and letting them drain thoroughly until nothing more comes out of them in terms of debris. Then I put a fuel-water separator filter in the fuel line AFTER the "T" where the fuel lines come together. This insures that the fuel that gets into the carb is clean fuel. I installed shut off valves in the left and right fuel lines BEFORE the "T" mainly because the tanks will not draw evenly and you can control that by shifting the draw from the left to the right tank by means of the shut-off valves.

OK, that's all for now. I will be happy to help out in any way I can. My private E-mail is swensen10or@aol.com

Bob